Author: Money Mechanics

KEY TAKEAWAYS The IRS began processing tax returns on January 26.The deadline for employers to send out all W-2 and 1099 forms reporting income was February 2.Taxpayers have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026 to file their 2025 taxes or request an extension. The 2026 tax filing season has begun. Here are the key dates you need to know. During this filing season, taxpayers will need to use the newly created Schedule 1-A to take advantage of the new tax deductions and credits created by the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’, such as the no-tax-on-tips deduction and the additional deduction for older…

Key Takeaways A 2025 study by MovingPlace.com found that the states where homes are more likely to have issues, such as foundation damage, faulty plumbing, and electrical problems that could go undetected during the buying process.Rhode Island, Ohio and Massachusetts led the states with potential ‘lemon’ homes, while Nevada, Florida and Utah were states where homes were likely to have the fewest issues.States with a higher proportion of lemon homes were generally in the Rust Belt and suffered from an aging housing stock and harsher weather conditions. Does the home you’re thinking about buying have hidden problems like water leaks,…

Key Takeaways Among the most common financial mistakes, a scattered portfolio, old accounts, and overlooked documents can quietly drain wealth.Tax inefficiency and outdated beneficiaries often go unnoticed until it’s too late.If you want to prevent costly mistakes, make sure you have a clear financial plan that you regularly revisit and adjust as necessary. Many people assume their finances are in decent shape—until a closer look reveals gaps that can cost them money, time, and peace of mind. Carolyn McClanahan, founder of Life Planning Partners, says new clients often arrive with portfolios and plans that don’t line up with their goals—or…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Meet Sarah McDonald, a software engineer from Austin who bought her first rental property in 2018 — a modest three-bedroom house for $280,000.Fast-forward to today, Sarah now owns a 24-unit apartment complex worth $3.2 million. The secret to her transformation from small-time landlord to commercial real estate investor? She discovered the power of using 1031 exchanges to systematically scale up her real estate empire.Sarah’s journey illustrates one of the most overlooked strategies in real estate investing: The step-up approach. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88…

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing series featuring the best retirement quotes and wisdom from top financial experts, leaders, and public figures. Other articles feature Warren Buffett, Michael Jordan, Mark Cuban, Jimmy Buffett, Dr. Seuss, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Vince Lombardi.Ronald Reagan was known as the “Great Communicator.” Still, for the millions entering or already in retirement, he also personifies a powerful message: the spirit of independence and the drive to pursue new dreams have no expiration date.The 40th president understood that a combination of hard work and disciplined financial common sense is the tenet of…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Peter Tufano is a professor at Harvard Business School and former dean of Saïd Business School at the University of OxfordFor decades, businesses and business schools have accepted Milton Friedman’s maxim that a corporation’s purpose is to “increase its profits” while obeying the “rules of the game”. For many, the law is the only substantive guardrail. But with that safeguard being weakened every day, today’s leaders and educators need to reflect and act.In the US, federal guardrails are being dismantled, with wholesale relaxation…

Key Takeaways Small towns, including the 29 on Investopedia’s top US places to retire, tend to offer a slower, more connected way of life, where everyday routines naturally create opportunities for social interaction.Lower housing costs allow retirement savings to go further, though car ownership and longer trips for healthcare often add to expenses.Many appealing small-town retirement locations sit in states with no broad personal income tax, but overall affordability still comes down to other factors that make up total living costs. A small town can mean different sizes to different people. In this article, we’re looking at towns with fewer…

Cross-border EU banking deals reached their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, and regulation reversals are hitting global electric-vehicle makers. Plus, soaring gold prices are affecting insurance coverage for precious metals storage, and how to make sense of recent AI-induced selloffs on Wall Street.Mentioned in this podcast:EU cross-border banking deals jump to highest since 2008 crisisEnd of EV euphoria triggers $65bn hit for carmakersSoaring gold price forces vaults to reduce insurance coverWall Street hunts next casualty from AI threat to white-collar workWall Street’s anything-but-tech trade shakes up US stock marketCredit: White HouseNote: The FT does not use generative AI…

Westminster, South Bank, London, England.Scott E Barbour | The Image Bank | Getty ImagesThe U.K. economy grew a meager 0.1% in the fourth quarter, according to preliminary figures from the Office for National Statistics on Thursday.Economists polled by Reuters expected the economy to have grown 0.2% over the October-December period, following 0.1% growth in the third quarter.Month-on-month, the economy expanded 0.1% in December, down from a 0.2% expansion, revised down from 0.3%, the previous month. Pound sterling was flat against the dollar following the data, at $1.3624.The ONS’ Director of Economic Statistics Liz McKeown said the latest data showed a mixed economic picture.”The…

When your network spans hundreds of endpoints across remote offices, the stakes for security failures are astronomical. A single unpatched device can expose sensitive data, trigger compliance violations, or halt operations entirely.Traditional antivirus isn’t enough anymore. Modern attacks demand intelligent, cloud-managed protection that scales with your infrastructure while catching threats that signature-based detection misses.Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers. Best personal data removal service deals of the week Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article. What is the best hosted endpoint…